Growth and accumulation of microbes on surfaces contributes to infection and illness of humans and animals that interact with those surfaces. Combatting such modalities of infection and illness is particularly important as antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) have emerged in recent decades. Surface-disposed bacteria also contribute to fouling and odor of surfaces, a problem less dire than the impact of bacteria growth on human and animal health, but one that must still be solved.
Generally, there are two ways to prevent or control microbes on surfaces—(1) disinfecting the surfaces once the microbes are established, or (2) modifying the surfaces to render then less hospitable to microbes in the first place. A problem with disinfection is that it must be performed on a continual and regular basis. Making the surfaces themselves antimicrobial is an attractive alternative or addition to regular disinfecting. One method of modifying a surface is to apply an antimicrobial coating to it. Ideally, such antimicrobial coatings should be: effective at preventing microbe growth and accumulation, easy to apply (and change periodically as the coating loses its efficacy), environmentally friendly and non-toxic to humans and animals, and aesthetically pleasing.